Festival hopes history doesn't repeat

PIQUA, Ohio (WDTN) - With his twirled mustache and throwback outfits, it only looks like Timothy Milligan has been attending the Piqua Heritage Festival since the 1840's, but actually it's only been for 30 years.

"It's good for a community to understand its history," Milligan says.

But organizers are worried that history could repeat itself at the festival, which will celebrate its 30th year.

Folks were up to their fur in rain and cold last year and showers from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac could do the same this year.

"That really hurt our attendance and that's what we thrive on," says Steve Greggerson the festival chairman.

In fact, 20,000 fewer people showed up.

Now the britches at Milligan's Stitcher's Cabin could be wet ones once again and another year of getting hammered by the weather would be tough to take.

"We don't want to say we'd never have a festival but it could damage our festival to keep going and put on the size of festival we have," Greggerson says.

That's why everyone has their focus on the old fashioned but their eyes on the more modern, checking cell phones to see the latest forecast.

But some would rather rely on the mini-meteorologists.

"We used to watch ants," Milligan says. "If they crawled in their holes it was going to rain. If they stayed out it wasn't going to rain. If they rolled over with their feet up it was going to be real hot that day."

If there's one thing that does connect the past to the present, it's that Mother Nature is still causing problems, but organizers say no matter the decade, the tents on site will keep you pretty dry.

"We're hoping it doesn't rain at all, but if it's a little rain in the evening or during the day bring your umbrella and enjoy the festival," Greggerson says.

Because if the festival's future is cloudy, that means the area's past will be less clear as well.

"The only way you can appreciate your future or your being now is understand your history," Milligan says.

The festival runs from Saturday through Monday. For a lineup of events click here .